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UAE eye win to keep Fifa World Cup dream alive

Anything less than a win against Kyrgyzstan will have dire consequences on UAE's hopes of a second Fifa World Cup appearance

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North Korea's midfielder Ri Il-song fights for the ball with UAE's defender Khaled Ibrahim during the 2026 Fifa World Cup qualifier at Hazza bin Zayed Stadium in Al Ain on October 10, 2024. — AFP
by

A Staff Reporter

Published: Wed 13 Nov 2024, 5:49 PM

Paulo Bento's UAE will look to end their winless run when The Whites take on Kyrgyzstan in a crucial Fifa World Cup qualifier at Mohammed bin Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi on Thursday (8 pm kick off UAE Time).

Trailing Group A leaders Iran and Uzbekistan by six points, anything less than a win will have dire consequences on UAE's hopes of a second appearance at the global stage.

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The UAE kicked off their campaign with a stunning 3-1 win over Qatar but have since gone on a winless run with just a draw against North Korea adding to their haul.

Edged 1-0 by both Iran and Uzbekistan, UAE have been competitive but that is not enough to take them through and need maximum points against Kyrgyzstan.

The Central Asian side, making their debut at this stage of Fifa World Cup qualifying, have also been competitive but have lacked the killer instinct required at this level.

The 1-0 win over North Korea on Matchday Four, however, would have boosted confidence and they will travel to Abu Dhabi with a spring in their step and hoping to add points to their campaign.

Meanwhile, Qatar know that defeat to Uzbekistan in Doha on Thursday will be catastrophic to their hopes of securing automatic qualification for the World Cup.

The two-time Asian champions are on four points, six behind leaders Iran and Uzbekistan, with the qualifying campaign reaching the halfway stage.

Head coach Marquez Lopez will expect a reaction from his Qatar side following their stunning 4-1 defeat to Iran on Matchday Four.

Uzbekistan, however, will be extremely tough opponents as they have been thriving in the AFC Asian Qualifiers with only Iran being able to take points off them so far.

Seeking a first ever appearance at the Fifa World Cup, the Central Asian side will fancy their chances of walking away with the three points against a Qatar side struggling with consistency.

Asian giants Iran will face North Korea in Lao National Stadium KM16, knowing that victory will almost surely secure their ticket to the World Cup.

Iran, on 10 points, lead the standings ahead of Uzbekistan on goal difference with both sitting six clear of the UAE and Qatar after just four matches.

Seeking a fourth consecutive appearance at the World Cup and seventh overall, Iran's qualification campaign has been serene.

The opening two matchdays saw the Central Asian side registering 1-0 wins over Kyrgyzstan and UAE, with a tough 0-0 draw with Uzbekistan following.

Iran, however, were at their scorching best against Qatar on Matchday Four as they cruised to an emphatic 4-1 win and with their key players all available, they will fancy their chances against North Korea in the neutral venue of Vientiane.

While North Korea still have a mathematical chance of securing one of the two top spots which will guarantee automatic qualification, they will need to win their remaining matches and hope other results go in their favour.

With just two points on the board, victory is a must against Iran and North Korea can be expected to produce their best as they strive to keep their campaign alive.

Asia has eight direct slots for the next Fifa World Cup which will be a 48-team tournament.

Eighteen teams have been divided into three groups of six each in the third round of the Asian qualifiers.

The UAE have been drawn in Group A with Qatar, Iran, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan and North Korea.

South Korea, Iraq, Jordan, Oman, Palestine and Kuwait will compete in Group B while Group C features Australia, Japan, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, China and Indonesia.

The top two teams from each group will qualify directly for the World Cup. The third and fourth-placed teams in each group will then compete in the six-team fourth round of qualifiers.

The six teams in the fourth round will be divided into two groups of three teams. The winners of each group will earn the last two direct slots for the World Cup, while the two runners-up teams will be locked in a playoff battle.

The winner of the Asian playoff will then advance to an inter-confederation playoff tournament featuring five other teams for the final two slots in the World Cup. (with inputs from AFC)

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A Staff Reporter

Published: Wed 13 Nov 2024, 5:49 PM

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